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PMID: 2022191 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

GABA and pancreatic beta-cells: colocalization of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) and GABA with synaptic-like microvesicles suggests their role in GABA storage and secretion.

The EMBO journal ·Vol. 10 ·No. 5 ·1991-05-00 ·Pages 1275-84

Reetz A, Solimena M, Matteoli M, Folli F, Takei K, De Camilli P

Abstract

GABA, a major inhibitory neurotransmitter of the brain, is also present at high concentration in pancreatic islets. Current evidence suggests that within islets GABA is secreted from beta-cells and regulates the function of mantle cells (alpha- and delta-cells). In the nervous system GABA is stored in, and secreted from, synaptic vesicles. The mechanism of GABA secretion from beta-cells remains to be elucidated. Recently the existence of synaptic-like microvesicles has been demonstrated in some peptide-secreting endocrine cells. The function of these vesicles is so far unknown. The proposed paracrine action of GABA in pancreatic islets makes beta-cells a useful model system to explore the possibility that synaptic-like microvesicles, like synaptic vesicles, are involved in the storage and release of non-peptide neurotransmitters. We report here the presence of synaptic-like microvesicles in beta-cells and in beta-cells. Some beta-cells in culture were found to extend neurite-like processes. When these were present, synaptic-like microvesicles were particularly concentrated in their distal portions. The GABA synthesizing enzyme, glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), was found to be localized around synaptic-like microvesicles. This was similar to the localization of GAD around synaptic vesicles in GABA-secreting neurons. GABA immunoreactivity was found to be concentrated in regions of beta-cells which were enriched in synaptic-like microvesicles. These findings suggest that in beta-cells synaptic-like microvesicles are storage organelles for GABA and support the hypothesis that storage of non-peptide signal molecules destined for secretion might be a general feature of synaptic-like microvesicles of endocrine cells.

MeSH Terms
Animals Antibodies/immunology Cells, Cultured Glutamate Decarboxylase/analysis Islets of Langerhans/enzymology,metabolism,ultrastructure Neurons/enzymology Rats Rats, Inbred Strains Synaptic Vesicles/enzymology,metabolism,ultrastructure gamma-Aminobutyric Acid/immunology,metabolism
Chemicals
Antibodies gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Glutamate Decarboxylase
Authors & Affiliations
6 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Reetz A
Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510.
Solimena M
Matteoli M
Folli F
Takei K
De Camilli P
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Article Info
Journal
The EMBO journal
Abbr.
EMBO J
ISSN
0261-4189
Published
1991-05-00
Pages
1275-84
Language
English
Region
England
NLM ID
8208664
PMCID
PMC452782
Subset
IM
Grants
NIAID NIH HHS · AI 30248-01 · United States
NIDDK NIH HHS · DK 43078-01 · United States
NIMH NIH HHS · MH 45191-01A1 · United States
External Links
PubMed source PMC Full Text View journal details
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